By DAVID COOK
It was another competitive season of tennis in the state this year, and local players were right in the thick of things as the season culminated with the state high school tennis finals. The Detroit area was the big winner, as metro Detroit schools won a pair of state titles. The Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids areas also crowned state champions.
Following is a look at how the state finals played out this season.
DIVISION 1
Novi captured the title in Division 1 with 31 points. Brother Rice took second place with 23 points. Grand Blanc finished in a tie for ninth place with nine points, while Midland placed 15th with seven points.
Grand Blanc was led by Hunter Li and Ben Walters. Both reached the semifinal round, Li at No. 2 singles and Walters at No. 4 singles.
Midland’s top placer was Weondong Hwang, who reached the quarterfinal at No. 2 singles.
DIVISION 2
Midland Dow’s string of five straight state titles came to an end, as the Chargers finished in a tie for third with Portage Central with 23 points. Forest Hills Central won the title with 27 points, while rival Forest Hills Northern was second with 22 points. Flushing and Haslett tied for eighth place with 11 points.
Dow was paced by Colin Angell and Michael Szabo. Angell came in seeded first at No. 2 singles and went on to win the title, while Szabo was seeded first at No. 3 singles and also won the state title. Aditya Middha reached the semifinal at No. 4 singles. Daniel Magno and Cole Williamson reached the final at No. 1 doubles, while the No. 2 doubles team of Spencer Bouck and Sagar Kamaraju and the No. 3 doubles team of Armin Vallazza-Margl and Noah Nichols both reached the quarterfinal round.
For Flushing, Matt Hoff reached the quarterfinal at No. 2 singles as did David Burkhardt at No. 3 singles. The No. 3 doubles team of Tyler Roddie and Alex Hallandal and the No. 4 doubles team of Eli Hallandal and Matt Karas also reached the quarterfinal round.
A trio of Okemos players reached the quarterfinal round in singles action. Jordan Jacobsen (No. 1), Parth Redey (No. 3), and Kartikeya Kandala (No. 4) made the quarterfinals along with the No. 4 doubles team of Jae Young Jang and Karthik Kolisetty.
DIVISION 3
Detroit Country Day won the Division 3 title followed by Cranbrook-Kingswood. Haslett finished in a tie for ninth place, while Mt. Pleasant was 15th, DeWitt 16th, Charlotte 19th, and Goodrich 20th.
Mt. Pleasant was paced by the No. 1 doubles team of Ryan Lapoe and Alex Ojeda and the No. 4 doubles team of Michael Jensen and Julian Moses. Each reached the quarterfinals.
Alex Reinbold of Charlotte reached the semifinal at No. 1 singles.
Haslett’s Johnny Choi reached the quarterfinal at No. 2 singles, while Will Holton reached the quarterfinal at No. 3 singles.
Adam Green of Goodrich reached the quarterfinal at No. 3 singles.
DIVISION 4
Greenhills School won the Division 4 title, with University Liggett School taking second. Lansing Catholic finished in a tie for fifth place, while Portland was 13th, Chesaning 16th, Williamston 20th, Essexville-Garber 22nd, Saginaw 23rd, and Frankenmuth and Hemlock 25th.
Matt Heeder led the way for Lansing Catholic, as he finished runner up at No. 1 singles. Two other Cougars singles players made it to the quarterfinal round – Chris Heeder at No. 2 and James Davison at No. 4. In doubles action, the No. 1 team of Matt De Le Fe and Ben Clark reached the quarterfinal as did the No. 4 team of Brent Smith and Matt Phelps.
Williamston was led by Oliver Weaver, who reached the quarterfinal at No. 1 singles.
Jared Brown of Chesaning reached the quarterfinal at No. 2 singles.
Portland’s No. 2 doubles team of Cole Schneider and Trevor Trierweiler reached the quarterfinal.
Chesaning’s No. 3 doubles team of Garrett Bishop and Mateo Escamilla also reached the quarterfinal.